Vincent Dao
Then: Second session of 2010 at Covecrest Tiger, GA.
Now: I am finishing my education as a Public Health Policy at University of California, Irvine (UCI). I will be graduating in Spring of 2011. I also teach Catechism and Bible application for the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society every Sunday. I am also a Core Leader for St. Margaret Mary’s Life Teen and assisting leading worship for mass. I am also part of Cal State Fullerton Newman, interacting with other college students and sharing my gift that Christ has given me. Also, discerning to become a missionary at Covecrest. So please pray with me and for me! As for what I’m doing with my spiritual life, I am doing the breviary in the morning and night. Also, I attend daily mass and confession at least every two weeks but strive for every week. The most favorite prayer is sing and praise through praise and worship.
Was it worth it? It was absolutely worth it and it was a blessing! Summer staff was an opportunity not only to serve other but also to grow deeper in my faith and my relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. I came in with zero expectation and an open heart ready to serve and let Him take the course. I would have to say God ruin my life (in a better way)! It was the time I let go and let God!!! As many of us have heard the phrase “See you in the Eucharist,” but there was no better way to be in the presence with other summer staffer, who I call my family (OHANA), and physically breaking bread together. Not only was an opportunity to building community with my fellow staffer but with all the missionaries, host, musicians, clergy, and teens. They too have ruined my life. The brothers and sisters that I long to see. It was a great opportunity to share with one another and how Christ had work through each and one of our lives. The best thing I took from Covecrest was prayer. Prayer is the key of essence of life. It’s not just a prayer but also a relationship with our lord Jesus Christ. Would I ever do it again? Of course I would love to do it again, but only if it’s God’s will. We are all call to become disciple and strive for holiness to go out and proclaim His wonderful deeds. Not only I would love to be a summer staff again, it is because it’s a place where I call home.
Do you keep in touch? I try to keep in touch with all of my fellow summer staffer, my Ohana. I would either call, skype, leave facebook message, text, or use any type of communication to keep in touch with them every week. Not only do I keep in touch with them, but I always lift up a prayer for them every single day and the rest of my life.
Why should a college student apply to be a summer missionary at camp? This is an opportunity for college student to live their faith and to practice their faith. College life has a wide dynamic of encountering new things in life and sometime can be hesitant to profess and stand for the Catholic faith. But with the opportunity becoming a summer staff would not only gain a life time experience but tons of support and affirmation from missionary, clergy, staff, and teens. It would reform your heart to become a son or daughter of Christ for the world, especially for the community back at home. It would enhance your prayer life, personality, characteristic, and spirituality as you continue to the rest of the college life.
